The Friends of the Three Bears started in 2002 as a nonprofit corporation to help with the restoration of the three historic buildings known as the Court House Complex. Over the course of time, they have become the heartbeat of the south end of Seneca County. Since its inception, the organization has raised over one million dollars from grants, fundraising and hard work from our volunteers. Our goal is to help people visiting our area and those living in Finger Lakes understand the historical importance of these buildings. These buildings were all but in ruins when the Friends stepped up to the plate. Foundations were crumbling, porches were falling off, paint was peeling and now they are resplendent and ready for visitors and events. You can browse the past issues of our newsletter the Bear Hug to see how far the renovations have come. But, there is still care to be given to these Nationally Recognized Historic buildings. Post Covid, the new tourist center will open in Mama Bear and Papa will become an Arts & Cultural Center. Come join and become friends too.
Vision
The vision for the Friends of the Three Bears is to fully utilize the Seneca County Courthouse Complex buildings and become the heart of the community for fine arts and education, and as a hub of tourism for the Finger Lakes Region.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Friends of the Three Bears is to preserve the buildings known as the (historic Seneca County) Courthouse Complex, implement art, music, and other educational programs/events, and provide historical building tours and area information to visitors. The Friends will accomplish this through fundraising, and community outreach.
Seneca County owns the three buildings and the park known as the Seneca County Historic Courthouse Complex. The Friends of the Three Bears partners with Seneca County for any funding for major repairs. Minor upkeep is also done by fundraising, volunteers and donations to the Friends of the Three Bears.
The Friends of the Three Bears started in 2002 as a nonprofit corporation to help with the restoration, preservation and utilization of the two of the historic buildings known as Papa Bear and Mama Bear and become a cultural center. Since then, over one million dollars from grants, fundraising and volunteers’ hard work has accomplished the preservation and restoration of the bell, painting of the interior and exterior columns, and the saving of the courtroom. In 2021, the Tourism Site was opened in Mama Bear which serves as a gateway for visitors to the Finger Lakes. Since then, Papa Bear has come alive with a featured artist each month, art classes and historic talks on topics as far ranging as Shipwrecks of Seneca Lake and the Underground Railroad thanks to grant funding. The weekly Farmers Market during the summer ends with the Concert Series on the Lawn featuring a wide variety of musical genres and local musicians. Community organizations use the space for meetings and programs as well. The Friends of the Three Bears hosts an annual plant sale in May and participates in the annual Strawberry Festival in June and Ovid Winterfest in December. The Seneca County Historic Courthouse Complex is truly the heart of Ovid while preserving the rich history of our County.
When you become a member, you will receive a gift and semi-annual Bear Hugs Newsletter.
When you become a member, you will receive a gift and semi-annual Bear Hugs Newsletter.
When you become a member, you will receive a gift and semi-annual Bear Hugs Newsletter.
When you become a member, you will receive a gift and semi-annual Bear Hugs Newsletter.
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Tourism: As a Docent, you will greet guests at Mama Bear and be representative of the hospitality of our hometown and the Finger Lakes Region. You will meet people from all over the world and the fifty states. The display wall of information is to share about the region. You will be educated on the history of the Historic Court house and lead tours. We need you to become a part of this exciting opportunity.
Marketing: Throughout the year, we have many classes, historic talks, art showings and music. These all need to be promoted. You could help our director, manager and secretary with ,the quarterly publishing of our Bear Hugs Newsletter, press releases, posters and other print materials. If you are savvy at social media, we would love to have you
History: You may not be comfortable speaking to people. You might like to be behind the scenes doing research. The Bears are more than buildings, they are the stories of the people who served as clerks and judges. Understanding the times in which the people of Ovid lived. These would be used in the Bear Hugs and Website and in conjuncture with tours for Adults and Students.
Grounds: Love to Garden or are you a Master Gardener in search of a project? The grounds would be enhanced with lovely perennials along the walkways. The interior is always in need of maintenance and sprucing up. We would love to have your elbow grease.
Events: There are many fundraising and cultural events planned for 2024 and we will need a short term commitment of time to make these successful.
From the street, look up the sidewalk and you will see the three majestic Greek Revival Buildings. The middle building affectionately known as Mama Bear serves as a Seneca County Tourist Center. You will find a wall of brochures highlighting area wineries, hiking, and history. Our knowledgeable Docents can answer questions about our many amazing waterfalls, where to have lunch or dinner or why the area is known for world class Rieslings.
We would love to have you tour the largest of the buildings “Papa Bear.” You will experience what it was like to stand in front of our judges during a trial and be convicted of a crime. Next you can be imprisoned in the sheriff’s cells in the basement. Tours are generally conducted on Thursday to Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm. The tour is free, and reservations are not required. We are very proud the Historic Courthouse is handicapped accessible with installation of a new elevator.
If you don’t have time, then please click on the link below to take a virtual tour.
